Antistes

Antistes (Latin for head ) was already in pre-Christian times, the name given to the leader of a cult community. It was later used as a title of honor for bishops, abbots, and the Pope.

In the Swiss cantons of Zurich, Basel and Schaffhausen designated Antistes from the 16th to the 19th century, the highest office in the Reformed churches. The term was first used in 1525 as an unofficial honorary title of Ulrich Zwingli in Zurich and then in 1530 for John Oecolampadius in Basel and 1532 for Heinrich Bullinger in Zurich. The Antistes was elected by the Great Council (parliament ) and was the same with his incumbent of a parish on a main church ( in Zurich until 1837 the Gross Münster in Basel at Basel Munster, in Schaffhausen in St. Johann ). His job was to represent the church to the outside and to mediate between city government and clergy. He presided in the synod and the exam College for the examination of candidates for ministers. With some other function, there was the office in St. Gallen, Thurgau and Graubünden.

In the Lutheran city of Nuremberg, the supreme priest wore at the main churches also the honorary title Antistes, but had no associated supra-municipal functions.